Canister vacuum cleaners typically comprise a main canister body, which is connected in fluid flow communication with a surface cleaning head by means of a rigid wand and a flexible hose extending between the wand and the canister body. The rigid wand comprises the handle for directing a surface cleaning head over a floor to be cleaned. In addition, the wand comprises the airflow conduit from the surface cleaning head to the canister body. The surface cleaning head may have a dirty air outlet nozzle, which is pivotally mounted to the rigid wand. Accordingly, in order to permit a user to clean under, e.g., a sofa, bed or the like, a user may bend down or crouch down so as to extend the wand generally horizontally. In this orientation, the cleaning head may be maneuvered under furniture.
One disadvantage of this design is that the user must have sufficient maneuverability so as to position the wand generally parallel to, and proximate, the floor so as to enable the cleaning head to be maneuvered under furniture having a low ground clearance. However, not all users may have this maneuverability. Accordingly, it has been proposed to provide a wand or extension tube which is bendable. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,352 (Park et al.). Park et al. discloses an extension tube for a vacuum cleaner which utilizes first and second tubes, each of which has a coupling part provided thereon. The coupling parts inter-engage to define a rotatable joint which defines the airflow passage from one tube to the next. Other designs which have been developed include U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,758 (Carlsson) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,925 (Edin). Each of these patents also discloses a reconfigurable extension tube wherein the rotatable joint also comprises part of the airflow passage.